What do you want in a brass catcher? Specifically in regards to the M16FOW (which includes your AR-15), or similar guns with a top rail system:

easy on, easy off – for all of the usual reasons, including the possibility of doing an immediate action response to a stoppage during a match.

minimal real estate on the gun – small attachment points.

total reliability – no bounce-backs / clogs in the ejection path.

non-interference with operating the gun – needs to be, and stay, away from your fingers while manipulating the firearm.

reasonable price – not just affordable, but value when compared to other manufacturer’s options.

In my opinion, the Best is the 3Bucc – close second the E&L. I like the 3Bucc better because of the mounting system, and because the soft catchment is much more forgiving when bumped against, for example, your knuckles.

3Bucc (also visible in the picture atop this page, and usually found in plain black):

E&L:

The velcro-and-mesh systems that cost so little give the same and have these problems:

slow off and on.

may interfere with rail-mounted stuff. May not, but why open the possibility?

no internal support – creating an unfortunate tendency to collapse in use (spontaneously or when you bump something during an action shoot, or just when it loads up with brass) – jamming up the ejection path.

tend to shift and rotate on the band… you can make it tighter, but it’s still just a friction fit.

on a hot day with a high round count, your brass will melt and stick to the nylon mesh.

They’re good enough for collecting brass off of a casual benched target session, not so fine for competitive action shooting.

Why Have One At All

Why do you want a brass catcher? Because scrabbling in the dirt like a common brass monkey is undignified. And because that hand-prepped Lapua brass flinging out of your precision AR-15 deserves better than to be dented on the concrete floor of your range.